Main Story

Outlined below is the story any given player would play through as they complete their journey through Hafod. The player can choose to play as either Gwen, a feminine character who uses she/her pronouns or Rhydian, a masculine character who uses he/him pronouns. The names and appearances of these characters can be customised. In this story summary, the masculine character Rhydian will be used for the sake of ease. 

Rhydian begins his story in their hometown, Anadl Port. He has finished high-school and, upon hearing that the new professor for the Hafod region has moved in from Kalos, he sets off to begin his mission to become a Pokémon trainer. He, along with his childhood friend and rival, Dylan, makes his way to Route 1 to meet the new Pokémon professor.

The pair find Professor Daphne Laurel waiting for them. She is a professional and chic young woman who explains, with a palpable despondency, that she is barely qualified for the role of Hafod’s newest Pokémon professor and that she would have stayed in Kalos if her father, the old professor, hadn’t died suddenly. With a gloomy air, she allows the pair their pick of three new starter Pokémon, picking up the last as her first Hafodian Pokémon. She tells the duo to come to her lab in Llanwgair Town as she has a task for them. 

Arriving at the Pokémon lab in Llanwgair Town, Professor Laurel gives them their mission: to fill up a brand new Hafodian Pokédex. She recommends the two attempt the region’s various gyms and try to collect all the stamps from across Hafod. She says she’ll catch up with the two along their journey and requests that they call her Daphne.

Rhydian travels west, through Route 2, to Glanalaw City where he locates Gym Leader Dai, takes on and beats the first gym, earning himself the Piston Badge. Following Route 3, he arrives next at Cerddinas City, the Capital of Hafod. After a scuffle with some Team Wild members— a fringe group that oppose any kind of modernisation or technology implemented in Hafod— Rhydian, along with Daphne, helps deliver a set of spare keys for Hafod’s electrical grid to Toby— CEO of Hafod Innovation, mind behind modern Cerddinas city and champion of the region— from her assistant Steren. 

After fetching Toby from the Cerddinas City music hall, Rhydian navigates his way through the dark sewers until he catches up with Toby and Daphne, unlocking the door to the electrical maintenance area. Inside the door, they finds themselves in a large domed room with control panels and futuristic displays. After defeating some Team Wild grunts, Rhydian, Daphne and Toby approach the centre of the room where they encounter Team Wild admin, Inva.

Inva addresses Toby, telling her that Team Wild stands opposed to her modernisation of Hafod, and throws several Pokéballs containing Floton, Pokémon that begin to attach themselves to and overload the electrical equipment. Once Rhydian manages to defeat Inva in a Pokémon battle, he begrudgingly says he will retreat, returning the Floton to their Pokéballs. Toby rejoins the other two and explains that the crisis has been averted, thanks to them. She is happy to learn that Rhydian is taking on the gym challenges, saying she’ll see him round. With newfound confidence, Rhydian battles Alaya and her choir, getting himself the Tune Badge. 

On the way to Route 4, Rhydian meets Ume, an older woman who owns Cerddinas City’s traditional Bakery, The Red Dragon Bakery. Then, heading South along Route 4, he stops at the Lighthouse where he runs into Dylan and has a battle. Dylan suggests they head back to Anadl Port to rest and talk to their families before continuing on to Tonbach City. So, Rhydian, follows the northern branch of Route 4 up to the Mwyn Peninsula, meeting a rugged travelling man named Petros— carver of Hafod’s many stamps— along the way.

After heading home via Route 5 to see his mum, Rhydian then retraces his steps and follows Route 6 to Tonbach City. He finds the gym, eventually winning himself the Tide Badge. Gym Leader Laraine follows him out of the gym, inviting him to come diving with her sometime, telling him to look out for her on Odl y Môr Beach. There are undersea ruins there that she is researching. 

Rhydian spots Daphne who explains she’s just come via Route 7, an overgrown path that has previously been blocked by a group of basking Mwddlug. She recommends that Rhydian explore Anadl Castle before continuing on. So, doing just that, he eventually ends up at a graveyard and approaches an old-looking statue of a Pokémon he doesn't recognise. Rhydian strokes the statue’s nose and it transforms into the mythical Pokémon Obitten, panting enthusiastically. 

Upon catching Obitten, Rhydian is approached by an old bearded man named Sparrow. He is a poet, interested in the myths and legends of Hafod. He explains to Rhydian the legend of Obitten. There are many more legends in Hafod, he says, and these legends have the power to unlock the ancestral potential of some Pokémon. He promises the two of them would meet again and walks away. 

Rhydian heads back, through Tonbach city, to Route 8. He climbs up the hills and reaches the Canu’r Gloch Chambers. Outside, there are many distressed archaeologists who say they have been forced to leave by Team Wild. After battling his way through Team Wild grunts, Rhydian finds a woman named Signe— Hafod’s leading archaeologist and anthropologist— who is being harassed for her research notes. Rhydian and Signe defeat Team Wild and they are forced to retreat. Signe thanks Rhydian for their help and gives him a metal detector as a gift. 

Signe wonders aloud whether Team Wild were there looking for answers about the Pokénogi—a set of ancient stories about a Hafod long ago, stories that somehow unlock a latent potential in some Pokémon— and tells Rhydian he can ask Odl y Môr’s gym leader more about it, her wife, Olwen. So, Rhydian heads on along Route 8 to Odl y Môr but is spotted by Dylan who challenges him to a battle. Afterwards, he warns Rhydian that Olwen uses an Ancestral Form Pokémon, as do all the subsequent gym leaders. 

Rhydian enters the gym, challenging and defeating the gym leader, earning himself the Ancient Badge. After the battle, Olwen thanks him for helping her wife, Signe, and offers her knowledge about the Pokénogi and how to use scrolls to unlock a Pokémon’s ancestral form. She advises Rhydian that he heads West through the Diafol Mines towards the next gym at Llais Hen as Route 10 north of Odl y Môr is currently inaccessible due to extremely high winds. So, after going on a diving mission with Laraine beneath Odl y Môr bay, he does just that.

Rhydian heads through Diafol Mines, bumping into Signe again who has just found a pair of fossils. She generously offers one before going back to digging. Rhydian carefully makes his way up through the cave and out to the Diafol Bridge. On the bridge, he comes across Petros who is watching the Sailstrate swim in the waters below. He cautions Rhydian that there are members of Team Wild up ahead, around the dam on Route 9. Rhydian defeats some Team Wild grunts before proceeding to the edge of the reservoir where Daphne and Dylan are arguing with another Team Wild Admin named Squama. 

Daphne explains that Squama has planted explosives around the edge of the dam and plans to set them off, allowing the original course of the river to return. Unable to dissuade her, Daphne tells Dylan to help her take on the grunts while Rhydian takes on Squama herself. Once defeated, she is enraged and flees along with the other grunts. Signe approaches, explaining that she’s gathered some of her team to help remove the explosives. Walking away, the three talk about how Team Wild’s activities appear to be escalating and wonder who their boss might be.

Arriving in the town, the three are greeted by Toby who had come as soon as she heard what happened, thanking the three of them for saving the day. She says she has a team monitoring Team Wild now, they are clearly more dangerous than she had realised. After a brief conversation, Rhydian takes on Gym Leader Heron’s gym, earning himself the Ode badge. 

After the battle, Heron leads Rhydian to his private quarters, picks up an ancient-looking, red book and gives it to him, explaining his brother Sparrow gave it to him for safe-keeping. He tells Rhydian that the book details Hafod’s oldest myths, even the creation of the region. Then, after visiting the Pokémon mansion, Rhydian makes their way back to Odl y Môr and finally heads north, now that the winds have died down. 

Following the ridge of Route 10 down towards the Curiad Forest, Rhydian runs into Sparrow, who is happy to see he's been given the red book. He challenges Rhydian to a Pokémon battle. Outside the Curiad Forest, Rhydian runs into Ume who is relieved to see him. She explains she was on her way to Corhendre Town but kept getting lost in the forest. She asks if she can accompany Rhydian. She warns him that she saw people acting strangely, it looked as if they were dancing. They enter the forest.

Travelling through the forest, they encounter many trainers afflicted with a strange dancing state, inflicted by the bite of the Pokémon, Timpantula. Each time, they battle Ume and Rhydian and, once defeated, snap out of their daze. At the end of the forest, Dylan appears from the thicket, dancing frantically like the others. Rhydian and Ume battle him and he, too, is freed from the dancing state. Ume then thanks Rhydian for accompanying her, telling him to come find her at the ‘Hafod Soul’ Music Festival, up by Corhendre Town.

Rhydian climbs the steep ascent of Route 11, arriving at Corhendre Town, heading to the north of the town to the meadow clearing, decked out with tents for the 'Hafod Soul' Music Festival. On the humble, wooden stage, he takes on the 'Jam Session Showdown', battling various folk musicians as the audience cheer and sing. Finally, Gym Leader Gwil, guitar on his back, climbs onto the stage and Rhydian defeats him, earning himself the Rhythm Badge. 

Then, heading north-east out of Corhendre Town, Rhydian runs into Petros. Petros welcomes him to Y Craffter and teaches him how to ride on Pokémon. Petros climbs on his Mwngrit and tells Rhydian he’ll set up a basecamp further into the park. A while afterwards, on his way through the park, Rhydian discovers an abandoned looking tunnel under the mountainous terrain. He tries to enter it but two Team Wild grunts emerge and tell him to scram.

Reaching Petros’ camp, Rhydian is surprised to see Steren, Toby's assistant who thanks him for his help back in Cerddinas city and explains she’s overseeing the installation of a new high tech train service from Hafod Innovation. Waving goodbye, Rhydian makes his way to Route 13 and towards Pennillan Town. 

Entering the bright and colourful town, Rhydian meets Daphne who explains that every brick has been dreamt up by the town’s gym leader Gerardo. He first battles Daphne, then heads to the gym where he meets Gerardo himself, a man from a region far away, originally. After winning the battle and receiving the Kiln badge, Rhydian and Gerardo are distracted by a commotion outside— Team Wild admin Densa is preaching his prejudiced views about Gerardo to Team Wild grunts as they bash at the ornate stonework. 

Daphne grabs the megaphone from Densa and, after a short speech about the nature of home and belonging, the townspeople, a large crowd at this point, chase Team Wild out of town. After a battle with Densa, he also storms off out of town. Afterwards, Steren, Toby and Dylan approach and Toby pulls Rhydian to one side, explaining that Team Wild have kidnapped Sparrow—the poet they met in the Anadl Castle Ruins— and are holding him in their underground HQ in order to learn from his knowledge of Hafod’s myths and legends. Toby asks if Rhydian will go to Team Wild’s HQ and rescue Sparrow, handing him a Team Wild disguise. 

Rhydian then heads to the new train station and rides to the base of Y Craffter, and goes to the tunnel he saw earlier. His disguise fools the Team Wild grunts who let him in and, once inside, he makes his way to a large chamber where Team Wild admin Penna is giving orders on how to extract information from Sparrow. Once the coast is clear, Rhydian finds where Sparrow is being kept and, after freeing him, looks for a secret exit through one of the admin’s rooms.

Eventually they end up in one final chamber with daylight glowing from outside the door. Suddenly the room is filled with Team Wild grunts and Penna appears, challenging Rhydian to a battle. Once defeated, from behind Penna comes a new voice, Team Wild’s leader, Vivi. She orders a handful of grunts with growling Blacaidds at their sides to search Rhydian's bag. Inside, to Sparrow’s horror, they find the red book. 

Vivi flicks through the book and thanks Rhydian for bringing her exactly what she needed. Vivi shouts to Team Wild that Hafod’s rebirth is imminent. The mass of people shout ‘Keep Hafod wild!’ and the room clears. Before she leaves, Vivi turns to Rhydian and warns him against trying to intervene, snarling that she is a force of nature. 

Outside, Toby, Daphne and Dylan run towards them and they get up to speed on what’s happened. Toby theorises that this Vivi woman is planning to awaken the original dragons, to tip the scales and return Hafod to its original, untouched state. Sparrow says he knows of three mountain guardians who are said to sleep in the castles on top of the three peaks of Hafod that, legends say, soothe the dragons once awakened. Toby asks Rhydian, Dylan and Daphne to track these Pokémon down and ask for their help, which worries Daphne greatly at first. 

After a pep talk from Dylan, Daphne decides that she will go to Y Craffter, that Dylan should go to Y Bywyn near Cerddinas City and that Rhydian should find the entrance to Yr Awen near Route 12, reminding him that, if they find trouble, to use their phone to call the others for help. So, Rhydian heads northeast through Route 12, reaching the basin of Yr Awen Falls and finding Petros setting up camp. Thanks to a tip from Petros, he makes his way through Yr Awen Cave, accessible behind the waterfall and, following a Faellow, shining in the dark, he manages to successfully navigate the cave, eventually reaching an opening onto the summit.

He makes his way to a crumbling tower and approaches a statue of a Pokémon. Touching the statue, it crumbles, transforming into the Pokémon, Solfima. Rhydian battles Solfima and, upon defeating it, experiences a vision. Solfima speaks to Rhydian in this vision, agreeing to aid him in their quest to save Hafod. The vision fades and Rhydian is alone. He then receives a crackling phone call from Daphne. She seems panicked and says she is somewhere on the path to the Y Craffter summit. He begins to make his way there.

As Rhydian makes his way up the mountain, the weather turns to snow. He finds a small camp-site and, once ushered inside by Signe, he finds a shivering Daphne who is very relieved to see he is okay. Signe explains that there is a pack of Blacaidd that roam the mountain and bring with them gales of snow and ice. In order to get past them, she advises that Rhydian stop moving when they spot one as they only attack if they have something to chase. So, Rhydian navigates a dark, wooded section of the mountain, soundtracked by the howls of the Blacaidd. Whenever one appears, he stands still and the Pokémon ignore them. After a climb, he breaks through the tumultuous snow and winds onto the peak.

Again, Rhydian makes his way to the ruins of a castle and approaches the statue of a Pokémon. From behind Rhydian, Daphne and Signe appear, calling out to him. Daphne notices the statue, and goes to touch it, causing it to transform into the legendary Pokémon Solvitus. Rhydian battles Solvitus and, again, upon defeating it, they experience a vision. Solvitus speaks to them in this vision, agreeing to aid them in their quest to save Hafod. Afterwards, Daphne calls Dylan to see how he’s getting on at Y Bywyn but he doesn’t answer. Worried now, she suggests that Rhydian investigate and check he’s safe. She will find Toby and update her on what’s happened.

Rhydian makes his way back to Cerddinas City, heading north now to Y Bywyn Regional Park. Inside the park, he finds Petros has set up a campsite and is sitting beside a campfire with Ume. Rhydian asks the two if they’ve seen Dylan. They nod and tell Rhydian he'd better go up the mountain and see if Dylan is alright. Before he leaves, Petros warns him about herds of Mwddlug roaming the area. 

Rhydian arrives at a boggy area and sees Dylan on the other side, shouting that he has dropped his phone somewhere in the mud. Rhydian enters the bog and, somewhere near the centre, finds the phone only to find he's surrounded by Mwddlug. After reuniting with Dylan, together they climb up until they reach the summit, making their way to an old fort. Dylan notices a statue, and goes to touch it, transforming it into the legendary Pokémon Solticor. Rhydian battles Solticor and, again, upon defeating it, they experience a vision. Solticor speaks to them in this vision, agreeing to aid them in their quest to save Hafod. 

Rhydian’s phone rings and Daphne tells them to come back to Cerddinas City to Hafod Innovation HQ to meet with Toby and go over the next part of the plan. Arriving, Rhydian debriefs everyone on what has happened since they last met. Toby congratulates the three of them, explaining that her team have been scouring Sparrow’s notes and have found that the red dragon, Hafod’s creator, was said to have first been awakened by a song. In the red book that Vivi stole, he explains, are the words to an ancient song, said to be imbued with a kind of magic. 

Steren interjects, explaining that there have been sightings again of Team Wild back at the Canu’r Gloch chambers, north of Tonbach City. Toby theorises that this is where Team Wild believe the dragons sleep and that they plan to open a path to them by singing this ancient song. Toby rallies the group and they make their way there at once. They hear the sound of a choir building from inside the cavern and rush inside. In front of a large mural, Team Wild stands in a large group with Vivi and the admins at the front, singing. Suddenly, in the same fashion as the statues atop the three mountains of Hafod, the wall crumbles away to reveal a passage forward into the dark. Vivi and the admins turn to enter the newly revealed tunnel and the mass of Team Wild members begin advancing on the group. 

Then, from outside the chamber, come voices. In flood Dai and his dock workers, Alaya and her choir, Laraine and her crewmates, Olwen and her students (as well as Heron), Gwil and his bandmates as well as Gerardo and the people of Pennillan Town. Steren, Ume, Petros and Signe are there too. Dylan and Rhydian’ mothers appear and wave. Petros steps forward and takes Toby’s hand. He tells her and the others to go on ahead, they will take care of Team Wild once and for all. Toby ushers Rhydian, Dylan and Daphne through into the tunnel. 

The four rush down the tunnel, into a large cave with two sleeping stone dragons in the centre. A nest of what look like broken, stone egg shells lie around them. The group argue with Vivi and the admins about what is right for the future of Hafod until Vivi orders the admins take on the group. Toby instructs each of them to take on one admin. Once defeated, the room begins to shake and rocks begin to fall from above, separating Rhydian from his friends. Dylan attempts to get to him but Daphne holds him back, it’s not safe. Vivi stares Rhydian down and they battle. 

It’s a tough battle but eventually Vivi is defeated. However, she is not disappointed, in fact she laughs and sings as the room begins to shake even more violently. Vivi explains that the ancestral energy released when their Pokémon transform into their ancestral forms was the key to awakening the dragons. She thanks Rhydian and the others as the statues transform. From the crumbling statues appear Rhuddisen and Gwyndigo, the ancient Hafodian dragons. They roar and fill the cavern with hot embers and sharp winds and the sounds of bells and horns fill the air. Vivi speaks to the dragons, asking them to return Hafod to its truly natural state. The dragons regard her momentarily then, to Vivi’s horror, fly up into the dome of the cave and begin to fight among each other.

Outside, in the sky above the chambers, four lights appear in the sky and begin to create a mysterious storm. The weather begins to turn violent and people all over Hafod stare towards the storm in confusion and fear. 

Then, back in the cavern, the three mountain guardians appear and form a perfect triangle around the flying dragons. Vivi and the Team Wild admins are shocked, they have no idea what is happening. The dragons are calmed by the three, they stop fighting and return to the ground. The three mountain legends disappear. Outside, the weather returns to normal and the four lights separate again, to four corners of Hafod. 

Back in the cave, the two dragons approach the humans, Toby puts herself in front of the other three. The Team Wild admins shake in fear while Vivi begins to cry. The dragons roar at Vivi, and she trembles but doesn't run. Toby shouts for her to come back, to save herself but she doesn’t. Toby runs towards Vivi and the dragons but Rhuddisen breathes fire at her feet, as a warning to stay back. Rhuddisen steps forward, ignoring the weeping figure of Vivi, and initiates a battle with Rhydian. 

When the dragon is defeated, the room shakes violently again. Rhuddisen lies down to sleep as it had before. Gwyndigo blows a gale through the room which flings Rhydian, Daphne, Dylan, Toby and the Team Wild admins back to the entrance, leaving Vivi behind. Gwyndigo lies down too. Vivi is sitting between them. The three of them become statues. The entrance crumbles and they are lost. 

The story resumes at Petros’ campsite in Y Craffter Regional Park. Daphne, Dylan and Rhydian are sitting beside the fire with Petros. Since that day in the Canu’r Gloch depths, Team Wild has disbanded and the admins have escaped. Signe and her team are attempting to excavate their way back towards the lower cavern. Hafod is safe. Dylan asks Rhydian if they’re going to go for the final gym badge in Craiganwr City to which he nods. Excited, Dylan rushes off. Before she leaves, Daphne hands Rhydian the red book, she had picked it up in the chaos. Daphne waves goodbye and leaves too. 

Rhydian makes his way towards through Route 14 towards Craiganwr City, heading straight for the long pier which is where this city’s gym is located. He finds and challenges Gym Leader Martine, earning himself the Spectacle badge upon her defeat. Outside the gym, Dylan is waiting eagerly for a battle. Once defeated, he rushes off again, calling back that he’ll meet him for one final battle at the Pokémon league. Heading back through Route 14 and stepping onto the Coda Island bridge, Rhydian spots Toby and Daphne. Unaware of being watched, the two hold hands and laugh. Toby says she’ll see Daphne soon and leaves.

Then, noticing Rhydian, Daphne shouts and waves, congratulating him on getting all eight badges and earnestly thanks him for his friendship. She had felt so lost and alone when she arrived but, now, she had finally begun to feel at home again. She asks to battle. Once defeated, she laughs and says that Rhydian may just take Toby’s spot as champ. She says she’ll see him around and leaves. On the other end of the bridge, Rhydian meets Sparrow who thanks him for all their help. He goes to return the red book but Sparrow refuses, it belongs to Rhydian now. 

Rhydian heals his Pokémon at the Pokémon centre at Coda Island’s main settlement and stocks up for the difficult path ahead to the Pokémon league. As he goes to leave, Ume appears. She heard that Rhydian and Dylan were taking on the Pokémon league and she just had to come and wish them luck. Turning to leave, she suddenly remembers something and excitedly tells the player to look out for her daughter, Ren, the dark type specialist of the Elite Four.

As he progresses through Route 15, Rhydian embarks on a tough and dramatic hike with difficult terrain and intense battles. Along the route, he runs into Petros again who wishes him the best of luck as he makes his way to the Victory Embankment. Then, rising up from Route 15, Rhydian walks along the Victory Embankment towards the looming silhouette of the Pokémon League building. At the end, Dylan is waiting for his final battle. Once defeated, he seems slightly disappointed but picks himself up and says he’s going to train harder and look for more ancestral Pokémon. He tells Rhydian to go for it, that he can think of no better new champion for Hafod than him. They hug and Dylan waves goodbye as he leaves. 

Rhydian exits the embankment onto the Pokémon league island and walks to the Pokémon league building, a huge stone castle. At the last second, Rhydian’s mum calls and wishes him luck. He then emerges into a central courtyard with dragon statues in the middle. Rhydian battles Barret, Cyan, Ren and Pio, winning all four battles. Then, he approaches Champion Toby who thanks him for all of their help, saying how much she’d been anticipating this battle. It’s a tough battle but, once defeated, Toby announces to the applauding figures of Daphne and Dylan (who had been secretly watching) that Rhydian is the new Champion of Hafod.